and life lessons

Into the Dark

Every athlete has it, but not every athlete goes there. Every athlete has it, but some fear it while others embrace it. Others can encourage you to go, but only you can take yourself there. It’s that dark, scary place deep inside of you where “what you’re really made of” is located.

There are plenty of reasons not to visit that place.

For one, it is dark and scary. It’s the place where your lungs burn and your muscles cry for mercy, where sheer resolution is the only thing moving you forward.

But there’s also the fear of failure. Finding you’re not as strong or as fast as you want to be can be disheartening.

The fear of success can also hold you back. Discovering that you’re stronger or faster than you thought means there’s harder work ahead, and that is intimidating.

And certainly, a lack of drive can prevent an athlete from truly pushing themselves into the dark.